


Pique

by TheMightyFlynn



Series: Family Matters [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anger, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 08:44:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12207783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightyFlynn/pseuds/TheMightyFlynn
Summary: Lucius' actions have roused Narcissa's anger.





	Pique

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [theiceroyals](https://theiceroyals.dreamwidth.org/) monthly prompt: _She looekd ready to breathe fire._ (HP1, p243)

**August 23rd, 1998.**

“I would not have taken the chance of pissing her off in that way, if I were you.”

“Then it is a very good thing that you are not me.”

Sweeping into the ground-floor study, Lucius spun to face Severus, his robes flowing in the way he had perfected over the years. He almost smiled when Severus rolled his eyes. He rested his hips on the desk behind him, feigning relaxation.

“Draco is gay.”

Severus had never been able to completely hide everything from Lucius, despite his Occlumency training. They had known each other long enough that Lucius had learned to watch for certain twitches in his expression; a tilt of his lips, or the slight quirk of an eyebrow. He wasn’t disappointed.

“Indeed?” The inside of one of Severus’ eyebrows twitched a little. “That must have come as quite a… shock.”

There was something about the emphasis that Severus put on the word _shock_ that told Lucius that he meant something entirely different. _Disappointment_ , perhaps…

“Severus, I have known you since you were eleven years old.”

“A fact I had not forgotten.”

“You cannot tell me that this comes as a surprise to you. You have been the boy’s Head of House for seven years, and have watched him closely for the past two years on our request.” It was entertaining watching the flash of annoyance cross Severus’ face before it was covered. “As you also have certain tendencies towards the male of the species–”

“Lucius–”

“Please do not interrupt me, Severus. We have a very limited amount of time before Narcissa discovers our location and I have a request to make of you.”

“Hiding from your wife is a little beneath you, is it not, Lucius?”

“We have differing opinions on Draco’s… revelation.”

Lucius paused, pressing his lips together as a mix of emotions ran through him. The halt in his speech gave Severus the opportunity he had apparently been waiting for.

“You disapprove of Draco’s orientation, is that it?” Severus crossed his arms over his chest, his usual scowl deepening. “He is your only child, the heir to your family name and to what is left of your family holdings. Of all the occasionally horrifying acts I have been witness to you committing, I had never once thought you to be the type to wish to disown his own son over something as trivial as–”

“Severus, please,” Lucius interrupted, affronted. “If I had a problem with homosexuals, do you not think I would have done everything in my power to keep _you_ down?”

“You would not have succeeded.” Severus held Lucius’ gaze as he spoke, his eyes the determined pitch black that Lucius had become familiar with over the years. “Besides that, your imagined vendetta against homosexuals would not have affected _me_.”

Lucius only just barely prevented himself from rolling his eyes. The distinction between bisexuality and homosexuality had never made one iota of difference to him, especially where Severus was concerned. Even though they had been friends for many years, Lucius was under no delusions about Severus. The man was cold, haughty, strict and more demanding than a man with his looks should ever be. As far as Lucius was aware, Severus had not had a lover of any gender for close to a decade. Excluding, of course, any professionals that he may have chosen to hire. He shook his head when he realised that he had allowed Severus to distract his thoughts. Pushing off the desk, he took a step forward.

“Twenty-seven years we have known each other, Severus. In that time, I have only called upon you for assistance with personal matters a handful of times.” He raised a hand when Severus tried to speak. “You have never once turned me down, and I hope you will not start now.”

Standing and staring into Severus’ eyes, Lucius could see the flicker of an emotion there, but he was unable to tell which one. He knew that Severus knew that he was asking him to continue his watch over Draco this year; there was nothing else he could be asking. Whether Severus had allowed him to see it, Lucius would never know, but it was possible to tell when he came to a decision.

“He is an adult, Lucius.”

Lucius’ chin dipped in imitation of a nod. “Indeed, he is. An adult who has led a sheltered life with no true exposure to the cruelties of the real world until the past two years. He went from spoiled schoolboy straight into being thrown in with rapists and murderers, Severus. He knows _nothing_ of the real world. You and I, we had time to adjust to our positions. Draco has…” He sighed, closing his eyes as a combination of guilt and regret washed through him. “Draco never had a choice. I do not even know what his choice would have been if he had been given one. I do not know if he would have taken the Mark willingly, or if he would have tried to fight against it. All I know is that he felt a responsibility towards his mother and I that he never should have felt.”

He paused when his stomach clenched. This was as close as he had come to admitting his own fault to anyone other than Narcissa, and it was not sitting well with him. But, it was necessary. Taking a deep breath, he raised his head and met Severus’ eyes. Severus beat him to speaking before he could even open his mouth, however.

“You sound as though you are more concerned with Draco’s lack of life experience than with his newly-revealed sexuality.”

This gave Lucius pause. Why Draco’s sexuality should have any effect on him was beyond him. In fact, the very idea was preposterous. He knew very well that there were ways for a gay man to continue his family name, so the family was in no danger of dying out. The only concern that he had was whether Draco’s outburst meant that he was going to start acting out. The past few months had not been kind to any of them, but that did not excuse the kind of behaviour that Draco had been displaying.

“Of course I am, Severus. Our family name has been dragged through enough mud without Draco adding to it.” He paused when Severus rolled his eyes. “What the child needs is guidance through life. He needs to be taken under the wing of someone who knows what he can expect in this life. As he is clearly determined that that person not be me, I am asking that you step in.”

“Lucius–”

“He trusts you, Severus.”

“I am aware of that.”

“You are one of the few people I trust to be able to help him through these rough years until he can stand on his own.”

Lucius watched as Severus crossed his arms over his chest, his hands clenched. There was something strange about his expression, but Lucius could not quite put his finger on exactly what it was. Taking another step forward, he was about to speak again when he was interrupted.

“He is correct, Severus.”

Lucius spun towards the sound of Narcissa’s voice. Standing in the doorway to the study, her cheeks flushed a fetching shade of pink, she made a stunning sight. Her head tilted regally as she met his eyes, but it was Severus she focussed on.

“You have helped Draco in the past, Severus. You have watched over him and guided him through some of the worst things that a boy could be put through. You are one of the very few people that Draco has continued to trust over the past two years. If you could continue to watch over him, we would both be in your debt.”

Lucius’ eyes flickered between the two of them, watching intently. Narcissa had stopped a few paces from Severus, her hands clasped in front of her and her eyes lowered. Lucius knew that the body language she was displaying was feigned; designed to present her as more helpless than she ever had been. A sigh caught his attention, dragging his gaze back to Severus.

“I have never stopped watching over him, Narcissa. Draco has come to me with questions and problems he has experienced since the end of the war, so I had little choice other than to continue to play the role I had been assigned during the war.”

Lucius’ eyes widened. “He has come to _you_ with questions?”

Severus turned to meet Lucius’ eyes. “He has.”

“I–”

“Thank you, Severus.”

Lucius scowled when Narcissa interrupted him. There was true gratitude to her voice, however, so he snapped his mouth shut, keeping the objection he had been about to voice to himself. Narcissa continued on speaking with Severus about Draco’s education for a few minutes, completely ignoring Lucius. He allowed them their time together, instead focussing inward.

Something strange flittered through his chest at the idea of his own son going to Severus with questions instead of him. He’d known, of course, that Draco was unhappy with his lot in life. And that _he_ was the cause of a lot of that trouble. However, he had not thought that Draco would simply cut him out like that. It was… Disappointing. Unsurprising, really, but disappointing all the same. His attention was grabbed again when he heard Narcissa clear her throat. He glanced up to see that the two of them were alone again.

“Where is Severus?”

“I allowed him to make good his escape before you requested anything else of him.”

There was an odd tone to her voice that had Lucius frowning. “Cissa–”

“We need to talk, Lucius.”

The hot flash of anger that crossed her face had Lucius’ breath hitching in his throat. It was rare that he managed to anger his wife enough that she showed it in any way other than icy silence, so he knew that he had really crossed the line this time. Swallowing, he inclined his head, then followed her out of the room.


End file.
